Never Again
by DayLightDove
Summary: (Hetaoni AU) What if there was a moment in the current time loop, that Italy felt he need to find the grandfather clock that turned back time. He runs off, hoping to find it before anything bad can happen and a few countries go after him. They have to remind Italy of the promise they made; that he would never have to go back ever again.


**OK so this is my first Hetaoni fanfic but not my first hetalia. I absolutely love Hetaoni so I just had to do something. This thought just came to me so I figured, what the hell! I'll write it!**

 **I obviously don't own Hetalia or Hetaoni.**

 **Now, I hope you enjoy!**

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Italy shook as he stared at the sight before him. The monster had ambushed them again and they had jumped into action to quickly defend themselves. They had been able to defeat it, but it came with casualties. China was unconscious with blood seeping from a wound on his abdomen while Japan was next to him trying to stop the bleeding. France was holding his head which was also leaking with the red fluid from a blow to his head. The others had been knocked around a bit, but none was a serious as China's.

Said nation was growing pale and breathing shallow. Japan was growing worried as the blood continued to flow from the wound. He shouted to England, hoping the other could use his magic to save the elder.

But Italy wasn't listening to any of that. The only thing rushing through his mind was that fact that, if- _when_ , a dark voice hissed-one of them end up falling, he'd have to go back again. All this progress they've made, all the bonds created between them, would disappear. He'd have to go through this all again. And that wasn't even the worst part. No, the worst part was that their promise would be broken. The promise made that, none of them would die. That he wouldn't have to turn back time anymore.

Now, as he watched as they all scrambled around to treat each other's injuries and China hung onto what life resided within him, Italy knew that he had to find the clock. Not to turn back time now, no they still had a chance. But, if one of them didn't make it, he didn't want to risk anyone else dying. He needed to find the clock, so should things start to go downhill just like all those times before, he'd get there, before anyone else would have to suffer through death.

So, with a deep breath and before any of the other nations could stop him, Italy fled from the room they had been in. He heard the calls behind him, telling him to wait and to come back, but he wasn't listening. His focus was on finding that clock before anything else could go wrong.

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Back in the room, the other's watched with horror as their friend took off without a word.

"Italy!"

"Get back here!"

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"OI! Veneziano! Get the fuck back here bastard!"

He didn't listen. They watched with wide eyes as he disappeared around one of the corners. Romano didn't waste a seconded before he was bounding after his brother. Spain shouted after the other Italian trying to stop him from being as stupid as his brother, but it didn't work and soon he was going after Romano.

"Idiots." Germany grumbled. He wanted to go after them but with the situation right now, he didn't know what to do.

"Someone needs to go after them." France said as he tried to stand up only to fall down once again.

"You can't go in your condition, frog." Britain snapped before turning back to China.

"I'll go. The rest of you, get to the safe room." Germany said.

"But what if you run into one of those things." Canada asked.

"Then I'll try to get to safety or back here." Germany answered. At first no one spoke, unsure if this was a good idea. Then, France spoke up.

"Go find them, and bring little Ita back safe and sound, oui?" He gave a smile to the German.

"I will go too." Japan spoke up, standing and walking over to the blonde. "No one should go out there alone."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with China? I won't hold it against you if you do."

Japan glanced back at the fallen nation. England had finished doing all he could to the wound and it was enough to let him live, but it would still be good to move him back to the safe room.

"I trust them to take care of him. I know he will live in their hands," He turned back to Germany. "Besides, I would never forgive myself if I let the others get injured when I know I could have helped in some way."

"Alright." Germany nodded. He turned back to the others seeing they were getting ready to take the wounded back to the safe room. "Be careful."

"You too West." Prussia replied. "Don't even think about getting hurt out there, you hear me?"

Germany gave a small smile, "Of course bruder." With that, they left the room and walked into the hallway, looking both ways unsure of which way they should head.

"Do you remember which way they went?" Japan asked.

"Ja, I think it was this way, come on." They moved through the bland halls turning corners and opening doors in hopes to find their lost comrades. They didn't know how long it would take but soon they heard shouting coming from a few ways down. They turned and went up the staircase before them, finding Romano and Spain standing before them.

"Romano, just calm down, we'll find him alright." Spain said trying to calm down the fuming Italian.

"Calm down? Calm down?! How the fuck can I calm down when my idiota fratello is somewhere in this fucking place all alone!? The last time he did this…" He trailed off with a groan. They didn't want to mention what happened when Italy went off on his own, they all remembered since it wasn't even that long ago. When Italy had locked them away and tried to deal with everything on his own. When he was beaten to an inch of his life and when he awoke his memories had been lost to him.

Germany shook his head, forcing those memories away. Italy was doing better now, slowly regaining the memories that had slipped away from him. He was opening up, letting them in on what happened before, and growing to trust them. He wasn't doing everything on his own anymore.

Germany and Japan looked at each other before the blonde coughed, getting the other two's attention. Their heads snapped to their direction.

"What do you want?" Romano snapped.

"The same as you, to find Italy." Germany responded. "Do you have any idea where he is?"

"If I did do you think I'd be standing here?"

"We lost him around here." Spain answered. "You should know by now how fast Italy can run if he wants to."

"Do you have any idea why he would suddenly take off?" Japan asked. The others shook their heads.

"Standing around arguing won't do anything." Germany said. "Let's try to find him."

Soon they were checking every room they could get into but Italy was found nowhere on the second floor. They moved up to the next floor and they continued to look through every room. Soon, they grew afraid that when-if-they did find him, he wouldn't even be alive. That thought sent a shiver of fear through each of them and they pushed it out of their mind. Thinking like that wouldn't get them any good.

However, just when they thought those dreadful thoughts, a sound came from one of the rooms they were near. They froze where they were before, after a glance towards each other, they moved to the closed door. They peeked inside and there they found the nation they were looking for, Italy.

He was dashing around the room as if searching desperately for something. His brown eyes were wide and his curl was ridged. They couldn't move as they watched him look in every nook and cranny of the room. When it seemed as though he was done with the search he turned to the doorway only to let out a squeak when he saw them there.

Romano didn't hesitate a moment more before he charged into the room and up to his brother, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. "What the hell do you think you were doing?! Don't you dare go running off like that ever again! What if you got fucking hurt bastard!? HUH?! Don't you realize you made everyone worry!? God damn it Veneziano!"

"Romano, that's enough." Spain said coming up behind the older Italian and pulling him away from his brother.

"Italy, what were you thinking?" Germany sighed. "You know it's dangerous to go off alone."

"I-I'm sorry…I just-" Italy trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"What were you looking for?" Japan asked.

"N-Nothing."

"It's obviously not nothing." Romano said, narrowing his eyes at his brother. "Don't you dare hide anything from us, Veneziano."

Italy bit his lip. He knew he should tell them what he had been doing, but…he was scared to and didn't know how to word it. He didn't want to sound like he'd lost hope but he knew that's how it would sound.

"Italy?" Italy was brought out his thoughts to see them all staring at him. He averted his eyes from theirs to the floor.

"I'm sorry." He whispered once more. "I just-when I saw China like that, so close to death, I thought, what if one of us do die? So I went to look for the clock that I use to turn back time. I hadn't found it yet in this time loop and I don't think I could take it if I saw each one of you die again. I wanted to find it, so if one of us do die, I can just turn back time without the rest of you suffering."

"Idiota." Romano sighed. "We told you that none of us would get killed by those fucking monsters. You can't think like that, alright?"

"I-I know but China-"

"China is fine," Japan said with a soft smile on his lips. "England took care of him and he should be resting in the safe room now."

"But still!" Italy cried. "What if it does happen!? I don't think I could take it! After everything that's happened, I-I can't…not…not again…" Sobs racked his body as he hugged himself, as if trying to give himself comfort.

He felt himself be pulled into someone's arms while a hand rubbed his back while letting out quiet, "sh, it's going to be ok," and similar things like that. After his sobs tampered off to soft whimpers and sniffles he heard Germany call to him.

"Italy…" Italy lifted his head from where it had been brought to Romano's shoulder. His brown eyes met blue. "Listen to me when I say, none of us are going to die, not anymore. You don't have to go through any of this again. We're going to get out of here, together, you don't ever need to even see that clock again. Alright? We promise, you never have to go back again."

Even though he's been told this many times before after he had told them everything, it still brought tears to his eyes. The thought that he won't be alone anymore in this vicious cycle and that he won't ever have to go through it again. The simple idea that they'll all make it out alive and alright this time was overwhelming. They were all promising him that he'd never have to face that clock again or watch the cycle repeat. That he'd never again have to watch them all die slow and painful deaths over and over and over again. That…he'd never have to be alone with these horrid memories while they were all left in the dark.

A wide smile came to his lips as tears fell from his eyes.

No, never again.

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 **So that was that. I hope it was good!**

 **It's nice to be back to writing hetalia, even if it is bitter sweet stuff like this.**

 **Feel free to review!**

 **Have a wonderful day! :D**


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